CJSA Elections... What a Joke

[Unregistered]

Town premier teams were beating Premier clubs , so that indicates those clubs were not doing what they needed to do to " keep up the quality" of their own clubs. What CJSA needed to do was have true promotion and relegation regardless of who or where your team plays.

Any "new" premier club has to start out in A division travel. Only once their team or teams come in first place do they get to move up to premier . And if a premier team comes in last place in the lowest division of premier, they are relegated to travel.

We had a system like that. After years of debate and controvery, it was implemented at the AGM in like 2000, or close to that. State leagues, premier/relegation, qualifying divisions, restricted rosters to ensure elite players stayed with elite teams......


Lasted about 1 year and then the same clubs that voted it in, came back and began tearing it down, piece by piece. Seems the parental feedback wasn't too keen on a "traditional" view on soccer structure in CT.

[Unregistered]

This is no way to run relegation and promotion, ad-hoc relegation based on whispers from "people you know." Nepotism.

And lt lends itself to criticisms or arbitrary decision making and capricious leadership.

Something like promotion and relegation should be part of the league operating structure and have clear rules about how it is done.

A bit of needed dinosaur thinking on this point.

[Unregistered]

We had a system like that. After years of debate and controvery, it was implemented at the AGM in like 2000, or close to that. State leagues, premier/relegation, qualifying divisions, restricted rosters to ensure elite players stayed with elite teams......

Lasted about 1 year and then the same clubs that voted it in, came back and began tearing it down, piece by piece. Seems the parental feedback wasn't too keen on a "traditional" view on soccer structure in CT.

Right. The mess the CJSA has was wrought by the clubs and parents whom the CJSA serves.

To be more plain, the crap situation the CJSA is in today reflects the crap decision making of clubs and parents over the past 15 or so years. Enjoy your sht pie.

[Unregistered]

Right. The mess the CJSA has was wrought by the clubs and parents whom the CJSA serves.

To be more plain, the crap situation the CJSA is in today reflects the crap decision making of clubs and parents over the past 15 or so years. Enjoy your sht pie.

Absolutely 100 % correct.

[Unregistered]

Absolutely 100 % correct.

And to be honest, the trend to regional clubs and things like the CCSL root causes are directly linked to the town clubs and their inability to manage things internally.

Most of them were staffed by people who meant well and had great intentions. They didn't know the game, but they could organize, communicate and do lots of grunt work. They put their trust into those who supposedly did "know" the game and were often led by political types with specific agendas. Great clubs that had vision side by side with clubs that couldn't get out of their own way. It was the CJSA that made sense of it all for many, particularly at the grass roots levels. And as much venom that gets cast their way today, they did a pretty great job at it for a very long time.

In the end though, the CJSA is made up of "clubs". And the clubs make the decisions and the people in the towns run the clubs.

In many ways, the CJSA is like our federal government and we are like the fools that put them in office. We put the wrong people at the wrong times in leadership at the grass roots level. We ended up with people unable to adapt the the changing times at the top of the ladder and the structure fractured, or evolved, as how you choose to see it.

What is certain is that we cannot recapture that and the CJSA and its member clubs need to look within themselves and find another vision.

[Unregistered]

You obviously know nothing about the running of the CJSA. An earlier poster was correct. Districts dont allow the clubs to decide. Conte would tell every club how the board decided we should vote and at the Annual General Meetings, they would vote saying the entire District was voting that way. If you disagree, you knew that you were in disfavor and would feel the wrath. Not sure if any other organizations ever vote that way, but that is why CJSA and SCD are so messed up.

[Unregistered]

You obviously know nothing about the running of the CJSA. An earlier poster was correct. Districts dont allow the clubs to decide. Conte would tell every club how the board decided we should vote and at the Annual General Meetings, they would vote saying the entire District was voting that way. If you disagree, you knew that you were in disfavor and would feel the wrath. Not sure if any other organizations ever vote that way, but that is why CJSA and SCD are so messed up.

I'm fairly certain that I know how the CJSA works and how the SCD works. I sat on the board of the SCD for several years, part of that during Joe Conte's service on that board. I know the discussions that took place in the board room, in Executive Session and away from the meetings via email, telephone and so on.

And of course there are politics in that district, as there is in every district. Joe Conte might have a strong opinion on how a vote should go, but I know the club I worked with while serving made its own decision on issues cast at the SCD meetings and Conte's opinion carried as much weight as we wanted it to in each issue. Most of the time, we didn't consider what he thought was right or wrong, just what we thought was best for our kids and club. Can't say that worked the same at every club in the SCD, but I was there for enough of the battles to know that most clubs voted their conscience.

There are voting processes in the SCD and the CJSA that allow persons/clubs to proxy for others. Districts often aligned themselves on issues at the AGM and vote as a single block But I've also stood in that AGM representing my club and cast our vote directly opposite that of the majority block of our own district, when we felt that was the right thing to do.

Joe Conte's wrath, as with anyone in the CJSA, CCSL or in your own club, only has as much power as you choose to give it. Power is given, never taken. Sorry you and your club lacked the spine to stand for whatever you believed in.

[Unregistered]

Sounds like your service was awhile ago - look at where it is now and tell me all that has been happening more recently

[Unregistered]

Sounds like your service was awhile ago - look at where it is now and tell me all that has been happening more recently

This kind of stuff is always there. They are part of the forces that influence the development of the game in this state and country. They will always be there.

In the end, it comes down to people with a vision that can be shared, embraced and collectively worked towards.

The CJSA will not fold its tent and go away. It will continue in its mission to serve the clubs that make up its membership, as those clubs choose to be served. And someday, when a bunch of this regional and independent club league stuff begins to fray and fall apart, many clubs will again wander back to the CJSA, which will again be challenged to serve their needs and enjoin them into some shared vision.

But your thinking the CJSA has no important role going forward is so wrong. These people running it will go away over time and new people will be there to carry on whatever mission exists then.

[Unregistered]

You obviously know nothing about the running of the CJSA. An earlier poster was correct. Districts dont allow the clubs to decide. Conte would tell every club how the board decided we should vote and at the Annual General Meetings, they would vote saying the entire District was voting that way. If you disagree, you knew that you were in disfavor and would feel the wrath. Not sure if any other organizations ever vote that way, but that is why CJSA and SCD are so messed up.

I was on the board of a district. Yes, the District officers have an opinion. Probably, they've been around a while, know how things work or don't, understand not only the beautiful game but also youth soccer and learning the sport. Yes, District officers collect proxies if they can.

But, clubs have a say. If you disagree, say so. If your club votes differently than the District official, so what? You are adults. They are adults. Work it out.

Part of the problem with youth soccer in CT, aside from know-it-all U12 parents, is namby pamby gutless wonders who don't represent themselves or what they believe in a meaningful way. Nobody needs that kind of person in a leadership position.

[Unregistered]

This kind of stuff is always there. They are part of the forces that influence the development of the game in this state and country. They will always be there.

In the end, it comes down to people with a vision that can be shared, embraced and collectively worked towards.

The CJSA will not fold its tent and go away. It will continue in its mission to serve the clubs that make up its membership, as those clubs choose to be served. And someday, when a bunch of this regional and independent club league stuff begins to fray and fall apart, many clubs will again wander back to the CJSA, which will again be challenged to serve their needs and enjoin them into some shared vision.

But your thinking the CJSA has no important role going forward is so wrong. These people running it will go away over time and new people will be there to carry on whatever mission exists then.

No one is wandering back to cjsa. Ship has sailed.

[Unregistered]

There are only so many players to go around. Moving from USYS to US Club or from Meriden to AFC or Hamden to Ginga, it's all the same kids. Without a unified state syetem nobody wins. The most dedicated families (who can afford it) will move to the large clubs with their own facilities and that is where CT soccer tops out. All the rest are also-ran knockoffs. There are hundreds of players getting left out of the mix because they can't afford to pay or don't live near the big clubs. Shame on CJSA for letting this happen and shame on CCSL for taking their ball and starting their own game on another field. Now we are split and divided as a state for the foreseeable future. The kids are the ones who will loose out.

[Unregistered]

No one is wandering back to cjsa. Ship has sailed.

Let's revisit that statement in say, 7 to 10 years and we will see who was right.

[Unregistered]

There are only so many players to go around. Moving from USYS to US Club or from Meriden to AFC or Hamden to Ginga, it's all the same kids. Without a unified state syetem nobody wins. The most dedicated families (who can afford it) will move to the large clubs with their own facilities and that is where CT soccer tops out. All the rest are also-ran knockoffs. There are hundreds of players getting left out of the mix because they can't afford to pay or don't live near the big clubs. Shame on CJSA for letting this happen and shame on CCSL for taking their ball and starting their own game on another field. Now we are split and divided as a state for the foreseeable future. The kids are the ones who will loose out.

Which is exactly my point. My youngest is set. Finishes high school and ECNL this year, college next, all good. I get to chuckle at the softest that soccer in CT has become. Not my problem any more, by which I mean, thanks to those U12 azzhat parents who asked my thoughts and then ignored them. Suck it.

[Unregistered]

Which is exactly my point. My youngest is set. Finishes high school and ECNL this year, college next, all good. I get to chuckle at the softest that soccer in CT has become. Not my problem any more, by which I mean, thanks to those U12 azzhat parents who asked my thoughts and then ignored them. Suck it.

"softest" was sh!tfest. Thanks Apple.